Vehicle-brake.



G. ENRICO.

n wma- Hm. PPLIOLTIQH FILED DBU. 10, 190.6. BBNEWBD APR, 15, 190B.'4 903,068.i Patented Nov.3, 1908.

@mi/Immun UNITED sTATgps PTENT OFFICE.

GIOVANNI ENRICO, OF TURIN, ITALY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FIAT AUTCMOBILE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VEHICLE-BRAKE Application filed December 10,

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GIOVANNI ENRICO, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Turin, Italy, in the Province of Piedmont and State of Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle- Brakes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to vehicle brakes, and more particularly has reference to improvements in equalizing mechanism for a plurality of brakes, and also to means for automatically supplying a cooling fluid to the friction surfaces 1n order to prevent overheating in case of prolonged application to the brakes.

The invention is illustrated herein in connection with a motor vehicle having two sets of brakes, one applied to the intermediate shaft and the other to the jack shaft, but the princi les of the invention are a plicable to other orms of mechanism as willhnore fully appear.

The objects of the invention are to rovide a duplex brake mechanism applicab e to a plurality of shafts and connected in such manner as to secure an even application of the brakes to all of the shafts.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically supplying a determined quantity of cooling fluid to the brake surfaces whenever the brake is applied, together with improvements in the general construction and arrangement, as

will appear more fully in connection with the description of the accompanying drawin wherein 4-wure 1 is a plan view of portions of a vehidle embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is a side view.

1 represents the frame of a vehicle having the engine shaft 2. gear box 3, intermediate shaft 4, gear shifter 5, shaft 4 being driven from shaft 2 at variable speeds by means of shifting gear connections, not shown. The shaft 4 is connected by means of a diii'erential gear, also notshown` with a countershaft carrying one or more sprockets 7 from which the wheels 8 on axle 9 are driven, as by chain 10. 0n intermediate shaft 4 is a brake wheel 12, around which a brake band or shoe 13 passes, and on jack shaft 6 is a similar brake wheel 15 and brake shoe 16, springs 18, 19,`

Bpeolcation o! Lettere Patent. 190s, serial No. 347,043. Renewed April 15,1908. serial No. 427.55m.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

and 20, 21, respectively being provided to hold the brake shoes normally out of engagement with the brake wheels.

In order to operate the brakes simultaneously and with equal force, equalizing lever connections are provided. 23 is a lever pivoted at 24, adapted to be operated by the foot of the driver, and connected by link 25 with a lever 26. From one end of the latter, a link 28 connects with an arm 29 on rock shaft 30, carried in lugs 31` attached to the gear case 3. The rock shaft' 31 carries a pair of cams 32, 32, which engage lugs 33 carried-by the en'ds of brake shoe 13. Whenever arm 29 is rocked towards the right, the shaft 30 will be rocked and the brake 13 applied. Connected from the other end of lever 26 is a link 35, which is connected to a lever 36 pivoted at 37 to brake band 16 and connected by link 38 to the other end of the brake band 16. Whenever lever 36 is rocked about 37, the link 38 takes up the band 16 and applies the brake. By pulling upon link 25, oth brakes will thus be applied simultaneously, and any excess looseness of either brake will be taken up by equalizing-lever 26 rocking in one direction or the other on its connection with link 25, so that the first action is to take up the slack in both brakes and then apply them equally on both shafts. By this mechanism, two shafts at ri ht angles to each other can be simultaneousy bra ed in equal deree, though the same equalizing devices can e used in connection with parallel shafts. Each brake wheel isprovided with an interior channel 39 ada ted to contain water, and means is provi ed whereby, at each actuation of the brake lever 23, a quantity of water is automatically supplied to these channels, thereby preventing overheating.

40 is a tank adapted to contain a supply of water under pressure.

42 is a discharge pipe, and having branch pipes 44, 45, leading to the channels 39.

46 is a pin carried by lever 23 and 47 is a latch connected with the stem of valve 43. Normally the arts are as shown, with valve 43 closed an pin 46 in front of latch 47. When lever 23 is moved, the latch 47 opens valve 43 until pin 46 rides gif the latch, whereupon the latch is withdrawn having a valve 43,

and the valve automatically closed by a spring. If desired, a cam can be provided to positively lift the latch to permit the valve to shut. While the valve is momentarily o the water is forced from the tank an dischard on the brake wheels thus keepi the iction surfaces cool, and being distri uted by the centrifu al movement. On the return movement o lever 23,

the pin 46 rides under latch 47 in position to open the valve on the next actuation of lever 23. The pressure in tank 40 is maintained through pipe 41 by a pump, or by the engine exhaust, and additional water can be supplied whenever necessary. The quantity of water supplied will be controlled by the time the valve 43 is open, which will as before stated close automatically so that the water willy not be wasted because the brake remains on a considerable time, and the amount can be controlled by adjusting the ,spring which clos the valve. Also the excess water in the channels can spill over, without damage. It will be understood that the invention is aplplicable to other forms of driving gear t an that shown herein,

without departin from the scope thereof.

Havin thus described my invention, I declare iat what I claim as new and desire to secure b Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a vehic e brake mechanism, the combination with a brake member having a friction surface, of a fluid reservoir, brake applying connections, and means whereby an actuation of said brake connections permits the discharge of a uantit of uiu from said reservoir to ecdl said rake and automatically cuts oli' the flow, substantially as described.

2. In a vehicle brake mechanism, the com bination with a brake member having a friction surface, a reservoir adapted to contain a supply of uid under pressure, brake applying connections, and means whereby an actuation of said brake connections permits the discharge by pressure of a quantity of fluid from said reservoir to cool said brake and automatically cuts off the flow, substantially as described. 3. In a vehicle brake mechanism, the combination with `a shaft and a brake mechanism, and manually controlled actuating connections, of a fluid supply a valve controlling the fluid supply, and connections between said valve and the brake actuating -means to open the valve when the brake is applied, and means for closing the valve without releasing the brake substantially as described.

4. In a vehicle brake mechanism, the combination with a shaft and a brake mechanism, and manually controlled actuating connections, of a liquid suppy,-means for maintaining thereon, acontrolling valve,

means or opening the valve during the aplying movement of the brake, and means or closing the valve without releasing the brake, substantially as described.

5. In -a vehicle brake mechanism, the combination with a shaft and a brake mechan- 7o ism, and manually controlled actuating connections, of a fluid supply, means for maintaining pressure thereon, a controlling valve, means for opening the valve during the aplying movement of the brake, and means 7 or automatically closing the valve, substantially as described.'

6. In a vehicle brake mcchanslmthc combination with a brake wheel having an annular channel, and a friction surface adja S0 cent thereto, and a brake, of a fluid supply, fluid connections leading to said channel, a valve therein, means for opening the valve when the brake is applied, and means for automatically closing thc valve when a cer- S5 tain movement has taken place, substantially as described.

7. In a brake mechanism for vehicles, the combination with a brake and actuating connections, of means controlled by the brake oo actuating connections for supplying a quantity of cooling fluid to one brake member simultaneously with the application of the brake, and means cuttin oli' the su ply of cooling iuid independent y of the relbase of the brake.

8. The combination, in a vehicle, with a gear casin containing a driving and a riven sha adapted to be geared together, of a brake mechanism adapted to be applied to one of said shafts, actuating connections therefor mounted on said casing, a transverse shaft eared to said driven shaft, a brake therefr, and equalizing connections for applying said brakes simultaneously, substantially as described.

9. The combination, in a vehicle, with a ear casin containing a driving and a riven shag., adapted to be lgeared together, of a brake mechanism adapted to be applied to one of said shafts, actuating connections therefor mounted on said casing, a transverse shaft mounted in saidv casing and lgeared to said driven shaft, a brake therefor aving actuating connections mounted on said casing, and e ualizing connections for applyin said bra es simultaneously, substantial y as described.

10. In a brake mechanism, the combination-with a brake wheel, of a brake band 12u adapted to be aplplied thereto, means for applying said bra e band comprising a bell crank lever connected at one end and at an intermediate portion to the respective ends of said brake band, actuating means connected with the other end of said lever, and means controlled by said Factuatin means for suppl ng cooling ud to said brake wheel an for automaticalleciutting oil' the flow, substantially as descri 11. In a vehicle, the combination with a plurality of brakes, of a source of liquid under pressure and connected with each of said brakes, and a single valve controlling the admission of Huid to both brakes, sub- 'stantially as described.

12. The combination with a brake wheel and a brake therefor, of manually actuated means for applying the brake, a liquid reservoir having means for discharging uid to cool said brake, a valve adapted to be opened by movement of the brake actuating means in one direction, and means for closing said valve Without afecting the brake applying means, substantially as described.

13. T e combination with a brake wheel and a brake therefor, of manually actuated means for applying the brake, a liquid reservoir havin means for discharging fluid to cool said rake, a valve adapted to be opened by movement of the brake actuating means in one direction, means for closing said valve without affecting the brake applying means, and means permitting return of the brake applying means independently of the valve to restore the valve actuating connection, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.'

GIOVANNI ENRICO.

Witnesses:

C. HANGMAN, J osnrn FoRNAs. 

